Ventana by Buckner, a $140 million luxury high-rise community for seniors in North Dallas, marked the project’s halfway point with a topping out ceremony today.

The milestone included the raising of a ceremonial beam and tree to the top of the north tower. Speakers included Charlie Wilson, senior vice president for Buckner Retirement Services; Rick Pruett, executive director of Ventana by Buckner; and Albert Reyes, president/CEO of Buckner International. The trio thanked workers with general contractor Whiting-Turner, who began construction on June 12, 2017.

“We are extremely grateful to every single person who has labored to bring Ventana by Buckner to its midway milestone in only 13 months,” said Pruett. “The high quality of work put into the construction process is representative of the high-quality of life Ventana will provide its residents with luxurious features and amenities and excellent health and wellness services.”

Ventana by Buckner is Dallas’ first and only luxury high-rise Life Care community. Its adjacent 12-story towers will house 189 independent apartment homes, including one-, two- and three-bedroom options and ranging from 800 to 1,900 square feet. Ventana includes the full continuum of care for senior adults, with assisted living, nursing care, memory care, and a rehabilitation component.

The community will also include underground parking, multiple dining venues and lounges, spacious common areas, modern wellness and fitness centers, heated indoor pool, salon and spa, movie theater, rooftop garden, multiple patios and more.

Ventana was designed by Dallas award-winning architect David Dillard and his firm, D2 Architecture. It will open to its first residents by mid-2019.

Buckner opened its first retirement community in 1954. Ventana by Buckner will be its sixth retirement care property in Texas. For more information about Ventana by Buckner, visit VentanaByBuckner.com.

Buckner Villas, one of Austin’s largest providers of senior living, hosted a ribbon cutting this Friday, July 13 on a $29 million expansion of its GreenRidge independent living residences. The ceremony began at 8:30 a.m. with residents from GreenRidge helping Buckner officials cut the ribbon.

The ceremony officially opened the new 122,331-square-foot expansion and celebrated a 16,010-square-foot remodeling project. The expansion includes new apartment homes and amenities, as well as the renovation of existing common areas to cater to current residents’ needs, as well as those of the retiring baby boomer generation.

Speakers included Charlie Wilson, senior vice president for Buckner Retirement Services, Doyle Antle, executive director of Buckner Villas, and Albert Reyes, president/CEO of Buckner International. Buckner Villas partnered with Hill and Wilkinson General Contractors, Barbara J. Vessels Interiors, Inc., an interior design firm, as well as architectural firm D2 Architecture to turn this vision into a reality. In addition, the Buckner International board of trustees, which held its summer meeting in Austin, participated in the event.

“This expansion was necessary to meet the growing demand from seniors in the Austin area,” said Antle. “This is our second major expansion project in less than seven years and we continue seeing more and more seniors wanting to live at Buckner. Our vision is to inspire residents to live full and happy lives.”

The expansion and renovation project adds 69 one- and two-bedroom apartment homes and 70 underground parking spaces. In addition, it includes an overhaul of the common areas by enlarging the dining room, extending the bistro, adding a theater, broadening the salon and the spa, building a new, larger meeting space, as well as refreshing décor and interior design throughout.

“Our goal has always been to listen to the needs of the GreenRidge residents and many of our renovations incorporate their suggestions and ideas to accommodate their active lifestyles, added Antle. “By increasing our independent living housing and amenities, we have the opportunity to serve up to 138 additional seniors.”

Buckner Villas was acquired by Buckner Retirement Services in 1970 and celebrates its 48th anniversary this year.

Buckner Villas, a Buckner Retirement Services senior living community, is a faith-based non-profit community located on a 25-acre campus in North Austin.  The community offers a variety of living options, spacious apartment floor plans and villas with a flexible and affordable fee structure. As a continuing care community, Buckner Villas accommodates all needs by making sure each individual’s level of required care is met by offering independent and assisted living services, memory care, and skilled nursing care.

The senior living community is conveniently located by nearby shopping centers, golf courses and medical centers. The community also has an on-site life enrichment coordinator, wellness director, full-time chaplain, on-site worship services, beauty/barber salon and bi-weekly housekeeping service. For more information about Buckner Villas, please visit the community website at www.bucknervillas.org.